Flavor: Rogue / Swashbuckler Horsethief

[Carpe DM]

Howdy folks:

So we've been having fun in our new game. My wife has enjoyed playing the gypsy rogue / swashbuckler that y'all helped us dream up.

Here's the catch -- she really has a vision for this character, fluff-wise. She wants Francesca (the character's name) to be a horsethief turned horse-trader, later in life. The problem is that purchasing ride and handle animal cross-class is *killing* her. Feats are in short supply. Skills are in short supply (since she's the party rogue AND is into skill tricks). Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get her some level of fluff competence in these skills? I suppose what would be best would be some form of class variant that lets her get along with animals rather than some of the more traditional rogue or swashbuckler skills.

I know, she could just ask the DM about it, but we're all fairly lawful-neutral about the rules.

Thoughts?

cheers,

Carpe

 

[AnonymousOne]

perhaps have her swap out skills?

Perhaps Swim for Ride?

UMD for Handle Animal? (I know it's a steep cost to pay, but if she's not wielding wands then it shouldn't be too much of a problem.)

 

[avr]

Swapping out skills seems sensible. Failing that, an item which allows speaking with animals (a wand?) will cover for a lot of missing Handle Animal skill.

 

[Felnar]

could she switch rogue to scout?

 

[questbreaker]

get scrolls of 'speak with animals' and RP it up with the horse from there.

 

[SteelDraco]

Doubt you'll want to pay the cost for the feat, but there's a feat called Versatile in (iirc) the Oriental Adventures book and the FRCS. It adds two specific skills to your class skill list. Ride and Handle Animal should be all you really need for a horse thief.

 

[Wolfwood2]

Howdy folks:

So we've been having fun in our new game. My wife has enjoyed playing the gypsy rogue / swashbuckler that y'all helped us dream up.

Here's the catch -- she really has a vision for this character, fluff-wise. She wants Francesca (the character's name) to be a horsethief turned horse-trader, later in life. The problem is that purchasing ride and handle animal cross-class is *killing* her. Feats are in short supply. Skills are in short supply (since she's the party rogue AND is into skill tricks). Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get her some level of fluff competence in these skills? I suppose what would be best would be some form of class variant that lets her get along with animals rather than some of the more traditional rogue or swashbuckler skills.

Have you considered taking a couple of levels in Ranger in there? Rangers have a lot of skill points per level, as well as sharing a lot of rogue class skills.

 

[Unkabear]

To consider a horse thief there are more than just Ride & Handle Animal. Truly Hide, Move Silent & Open Lock(or wand/scroll of knock) would be more useful. Wand/scroll of Charm animal would assist with the loss of Handle Animal. Ride is important for a fast getaway, but a decent dex and 4 or 5 ranks(8-10 skillpoints) and you have most of what you would need for your ride checks. Bluff would come in handy when you are caught by the owner and slight of hand is a very overlooked skill.

For a rogue who wants to be a rogue SoH is invaluable. Walk by the merchant and palm the key in his pocket...Take the ring of the guildmember to get in the door of the underground Tavern that holds the Macguffin.

Personally I base my Horsethiefs off of Vanin from Robert Jordans Wheel of Time Series. So good a thief that he is not well known as a thief. Mainly scout skill sets with the insinuation of much much more, and very deadly.

 

[Edheldur]

The Wilderness Rogue variant from Unearthed Arcana (WotC material, if that matters) might be an option. Basically, it swaps Appraise, Diplomacy, Decipher Script, Forgery, and Gather Information for Handle Animal, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Ride, and Survival.

 

[Patlin]

If ride is necessary for flavor reasons only, I'd hope the DM would let her swap skills. If she'll be making a lot more use of it than that (and short of taking mounted combat feats, I can't see how she would) the DM might choose to be less lenient.

Ride is hardly a killer skill, after all.